Emergency weather tips

If Hurricane Katrina has made anything clear, it is the need to be prepared in advance for natural disasters. Two years ago, Hurricane Isabel took Maryland by surprise, and this summer has been full of lightning storms, flash floods and tornados across the local area. Weather emergencies can strike anytime, and it is vitally important for people to be able to protect themselves while the event is happening. With that, Silver Chips Online has compiled a list of safety weather tips for a variety of disasters. These tips are for immediate action only and do not include pre- or post- disaster advice.

All information compiled from "The Weather Channel".

Quick jumps:
Lightning
Tornados
Floods
Hurricanes
Earthquakes

Lightning

Lightning is one of the most common types of dangerous weather. It has been estimated that the United States is hit by 20 million bolts of lightning a year.

If you are inside:

• Do not use the phone, telephone lines can conduct electricity. Also avoid faucets, sinks, bathtubs, and other devices connected to metal pipes as those also conduct.
  
• Avoid windows.
  

• Get under the best shelter available - buildings are preferable to cars, and hardtop cars are preferable to convertibles.
  
• Get away from large bodies of water - if you are in one, immediately head for land and get out.
  
• If there is no shelter around, find a low open place away from objects that can conduct electricity, like trees or metal poles. Get low to the ground by squatting so that as little of your body as possible touches the ground. Lying flat provides a larger surface to conduct electricity.
  
• If you feel your hair begin to stand on end, IMMEDIATELY minimize your contact with the ground in order to become as little injured as possible. The hair means that electric charges have begun moving through your body from the ground to a cloud.
  

Tornados

Tornados can spring up unexpectedly. Once a tornado warning is in effect, there is little time to get ready.

If you are inside:

• If you are in a mobile home, leave immediately.
  
• Stay inside a small interior room or closet, keeping away from windows. Try to get as low as possible - a basement or storm cellar, without windows, is ideal.
  
• Cover your head and eyes with a blanket or jacket.
  
• Do NOT leave until there is official notice that the area is safe - there may be multiple tornados, and their paths are unpredictable.
  

• Try to get inside a structure, but not one with a large roof like a mall or gym
  

• Get near a strong structure, or lie flat in a low area
  
• Cover your head and neck with your arms and/or pieces of clothing
  

• Do NOT try to outrun a tornado.
  

• Try to get inside a structure, but not one with a large roof like a mall or gym
  
• If no other options, get out of car and follow tips for what to do if you are outside
  

Floods

Not all floods can be predicted and monitored in advance. Some floods, known as flash floods, come so quickly that there may be absolutely no warning, not even a few minutes. It does not have to be raining in order for a flash flood to occur, it can start miles away.

Flash floods:

• If you think that a flood may occur, IMMEDIATELY get to higher ground
  

• Try to get to higher ground. At no time attempt to walk through flood waters.
  
• Keep away from the water, storm drains, and sewers.
  
• If you are in a car, do NOT drive through the flood waters. If it stalls, abandon it and get to higher ground. Two feet of water is enough to carry away most cars.
  

Hurricanes

If an evacuation is called for in your area, leave immediately, following officials instructions. However, if you get caught in the storm, there are a few important tips for you to follow.

• Stay inside small interior room or closet. Try to get away from windows. If possible, try to stay on the downwind side of the house. If you are in an area threatened by flooding, try to be on an upper floor, otherwise try to remain on a lower floor.
  
• Do NOT leave when the storm dies down, it may just be the eye of the storm. Listen to a battery-operated radio for important messages regarding when it is safe to leave the house.
  

Earthquakes

Although rare in Maryland, earthquakes occur around the globe. The actual shaking of the earth rarely causes injuries, however, the effects of that shaking - such as falling objects and downed power lines - can be highly dangerous.

If you are inside:

• Do NOT go outside until the shaking has stopped.
  
• Get under something sturdy and hold onto it, if nothing is nearby, drop to the floor against an inside wall. Try to get away from any glass windows.
  
• No matter where you are, cover your head.
  

• Get into the open, moving as far away as possible from any heavy objects that may collapse and fall, such as buildings or trees. Do not get out of the open until the shaking has stopped.
  
• Drop to the ground.
  

• Stay in your car until the shaking has stopped.
  
• Stop the car and try to move to an open area if possible.